Poll: President Trump is his own worst spokesman; Pence does better job

Vice President Pence addresses the crowd Feb. 22, 2017, during a press conference at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Mo., where vandals knocked over and damaged tombstones in one of several instances of antisemitic vandalism and threats nationwide.(Photo: Michael Thomas, Getty Images)

Look out, President Trump. Your No. 2 is a more effective spokesman for you than you are, a new poll suggests.

By contrast, Trump does more to hurt his own cause than help it, according to 6 in 10 Americans. Only about one-third said he helps, rather than hurts, himself.

Likewise, White House spokesman Sean Spicer and counselor Kellyanne Conway also do more to hurt — than help — the president when they speak for him, according to the poll.

“It shouldn’t escape D.C.’s attention that the vice president is seen as a better mouthpiece for the administration than the man who actually occupies the Oval Office, even among their fellow Republicans,” Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement.

Opinion was divided on deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, with 23 percent saying she does more to help and 22 percent saying she does more to hurt when she speaks for Trump.

More than half the public, however, had no opinion on the performance of Sanders, who has recently been given a more prominent speaking role for the administration.

Rumors have circulated for weeks that Spicer may move to a less public role. Of those surveyed, more said Spicer hurts (42 percent) rather than helps (28 percent) the president when he faces the television cameras.

“It’s not as if Trump’s appointed spokespeople are doing worse than the man himself,” he said. “It may simply be an impossible task to represent this president and come off as credible.”

But the poll shows that’s not the case when results are broken out by party. Republicans tend to see all the officials tested as doing a good job of making the president’s case. Democrats are down on Trump, Spicer, Conway and Sanders as spokespersons, and a little more divided on Pence. About a third of Democrats said Pence helps more than he hurts the cause. Nearly a half said he does more harm than good.

The poll was conducted May 13 to 17 with 1,002 adults. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

Contact Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mgroppe.

Congressman Mike Pence, R-Ind., looks down as he speaks to the hundreds of people gathered on the south lawn of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on March 15, 2010, for the "Kill The Bill" rally opposing President Obama's plan for nationalized health care that could come up for a vote in the coming week. (Charlie Nye / The Star).
Charlie Nye

Angie's List founder, Angie Hicks, was all smiles as Gov. Mike Pence talked about her as an Indiana success story at an expansion announcement Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. The Indianapolis-based company announced an expansion into the old Ford building on East Washington Street that would consolidate current employees and add 1,000 new jobs. The expansion did not happen.
Mike Fender / IndyStar

Speaker of the House Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis (left) applauds Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as they look out over the assembled state legislators following Pence's third State of the State address on Jan. 13, 2015.
Charlie Nye/The Star

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence addresses media members about changes that he wants made to the recently signed Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Indianapolis, Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2015. Robert Scheer / The Star
Robert Scheer / The Star

Gov. Mike Pence and Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz lead the Indiana Education Roundtable meeting at the Indiana Government Center in Indianapolis on June 23, 2014.
Anna Reed/The Star, Anna Reed/The Star

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks during a news conference before attending Symphony on the Prairie for a Fourth of July concert in Fishers, Ind. Pence is one of several Republicans Trump is considering for his vice presidential running mate.
Michael Conroy, AP

Gov. Mike Pence (left) and the Rev. Charles Harrison talk about violence at the intersection of 29th and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. streets in Indianapolis on Monday, July 11, 2016.
Jill Disis/IndyStar

Gov. Mike Pence speaks before the start of the annual Cops Cycling for Survivors' 13-day ride across Indiana. Riders gathered Monday, July 11, 2016, at the Indiana State Museum in Downtown Indianapolis. Pence and his wife, Karen, rode the first leg.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar

Governor Mike Pence talks to the media about the putting a halt to the Syrian refugee program Tuesday, December 8, 2015, afternoon at Signature Flight Support at the Indianapolis Airport.
Matt Kryger/The Star, Matt Kryger/The Star

Peter Recchio, co-founder of Tea-MAC, the Tea Party of Michiana Action Coalition, left, and Rick Barr, right, shake hands with Indiana Congressman Mike Pence after his speech at the Indianapolis Tea Party get-out-the-vote rally held in Hummel Park in Plainfield on Friday night, October 15, 2010. Charlie Nye / The Star.
Charlie Nye

Mike Pence, Indiana Governor, hands out toy balls to spectators at the Circle City Classic parade, Indianapolis, Saturday, September 26, 2015. The event marks the annual Classic football game, this year pitting Central State University against Kentucky State University at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Robert Scheer / The Star

Republican candidate for Indiana governor Congressman Mike Pence takes a shot at the basket as he shoots from a basketball floor marked with the IU satellite campuses around the state at Indiana Black Expo, Inc.'s Summer Celebration in the Indiana Convention Center on Saturday, July 21, 2012. Charlie Nye / The Star.
Charlie Nye, Indianapolis Star

Governor Mike Pence, center, talks about authorizing the arming of soldiers at Indiana National Guard facilities and recruiting sites statewide, while speaking to the press at a press conference at the Indiana National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, Sunday, July 19, 2015. He is joined by Col. Timothy Thombleson, from left behind him, Col. Ronald Westfall, and Indiana Adjutant General Major General Corey Carr.
Kelly Wilkinson

Indiana Governor Mike Pence chats with young entrepreneur Nathan Walsh, 7, during Lemonade Day at the Statehouse, Friday, May 30, 2014. Nathan told the governor he is good in math, and that some people say he could help with the budget.
Kelly Wilkinson/The Star

Governor Mike Pence asks school children to join him in the popular last line of "Twas the NIght Before Christmas" which he read to them, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" during the Statehouse Christmas tree decorating event at the Statehouse, Friday, December 13, 2013. Children also brought handmade ornaments to hang on the tree.
Kelly Wilkinson/The Star